Sessions Joins U.S. Attorney Roper to Present $65,000+ Anti-Gang Grant to Promise House in Dallas

U.S. Congressman Pete Sessions (R-Dallas) this morning joined U.S. Attorney Richard Roper of the Northern District of Texas to present a check representing a $65,462.48 grant award to Promise House as part of the Department of Justice’s Comprehensive Anti-Gang Initiative.

Founded in 1984, Promise House is a non-profit agency serving primarily homeless and at-risk teens and their families. Its mission is to stabilize and offer hope to youth and families in crisis through emergency shelter, crisis intervention, counseling, transitional living, street outreach and education.

“I am proud of Promise House’s selfless efforts to serve the needs of runaway and homeless youth, including teens escaping from gang activity,” Sessions stated.

“Like many communities across our nation, Dallas has seen gang violence threaten the safety of our neighborhoods and prey on the future of teens and families,” Sessions said. “This grant funding will enable Promise House of Dallas to further advance their mission of empowering teens and families to overcome crisis and lead dynamic, accomplished lives.”

In addition to ensuring robust enforcement policies in response to gang-related violence, the Comprehensive Anti-Gang Initiative prioritizes prevention programs to provide America’s youth, as well as offenders returning to the community, with opportunities to help them resist gang involvement.

U.S. Attorney Roper said, “An important part of the Department’s Comprehensive Anti-Gang Initiative devotes extensive resources to support communities’ efforts to reduce youth-gang crime and violence by addressing the full range of personal, family and community factors that contribute to juvenile delinquency and gang activity.”

“I was proud to support Promise House in their grant application and am thrilled that the Department of Justice awarded these funds to them to assist in their at-risk youth programs,” Roper concluded.

The Comprehensive Anti-Gang Initiative complements existing Department of Justice programs to combat gangs and reduce gun-related crime throughout the country. Those programs include the Violent Crime Impact Teams, Safe Streets Task Forces, and the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative, under which the number of federal firearms prosecutions has more than doubled in the past six years, compared to the six years prior to PSN’s implementation. Since 2001, the Department of Justice has allocated over $1.6 billion to PSN to combat violent crime at the federal, state and local levels.

Dr. Harriet Boorhem, Executive Director of Promise House, said, “Promise House is thrilled and excited to be the recipient of this grant, so we may continue to enhance the lives of the teens we serve by teaching them needed skills aimed at avoiding involvement in gang activities.”

Held at Promise House of Dallas, the check presentation ceremony was also attended by David Brown, Dallas Police Department First Assistant Chief and Dallas Assistant City Manager; Millie DeAnda, President of the North Texas Crime Commission; and members of the Promise House Board of Directors, Leadership Council and Honorary Council. Several clients of Promise House were also present.

For more information on the Department of Justice’s Anti-Gang Initiatives, visit  https://www.ojjdp.ncjrs.gov/programs/antigang/

Visit  www.promisehouse.org for more information on Promise House.